{{CFirstName}}, you are receiving this e-newsletter because you have shown interest in public policy issues. Contact us if you don't want to receive future issues.

Volume 8, Issue 2, May 27, 2025
 Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, Eau Claire, Wis. 
Published the first business day of each week
Business Advocate Past Issues
Public Meetings Calendar
Chamber Events Calendar
The Chamber's Advocacy Principles
The Chamber's Business Issues Agenda
"Talking Po!nt" Podcast
How to become a Chamber investor
Contact: Scott Rogers, VP Governmental Affairs
rogers@eauclairechamber.org
Chamber Business Hours: Mon-Thu 7:30a-4:30p, Friday 8a-12n

Note: We're publishing on Tuesday this week after observance of Memorial Day on Monday.

In this issue:
 • Rail Coalition seeks input on future passenger train service
 • State budget deliberations continue, Chamber weighs in
 • EC City Council: Capital budget, parking input meetings next week
 • Eau Claire County begins new administrator search
 • US House passes "Big Beautiful Bill," to US Senate next
 • Food for thought
 • Mark your calendar
Note on article links: A subscription is required for those marked with "$"
Publications known to have article limits or other access restrictions for non-subscribers are marked with "+"

Eggs & Issues: Parking and the downtown EC experience
   Along with the significant development and growth in downtown Eau Claire over the past two decades has come growing pains, including what to do about parking. The City commissioned a comprehensive downtown parking study last year, and is now in the midst of determining whether and how to implement its various recommendations. At this edition of Eggs & Issues, we'll hear the latest from Deputy City Manager Dave Solberg on how business and community feedback are being incorporated into decisions scheduled to be made soon by the City Council. We'll also touch on other key aspects of the downtown experience for visitors, businesses, and residents, including the new Street Ambassador program.
• THURSDAY, June 19, CVTC Business Education Center
   Click here for details and to register  

Next Eggs & Issues topics...
• Legislative Breakfast - Thursday, July 24
• Higher Education in the Chippewa Valley - Thursday, Aug 21
• The Economic Impact of Local Tourism - Friday, Sep 19

Also for your calendar...
• Business After Hours - Monday, June 9
• Morning Momentum - Tuesday, July 15

Input sought for future train service to Eau Claire
Survey asks about destinations, travel reasons; State budget
action needed to continue progress in federal funding pipeline
   At a public update meeting last Monday, the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition received input from participants on where they'd like to travel when passenger train service comes to the community. In addition to identifying specific preferred destinations on maps provided at the meeting, an online survey was provided that sought input on fares, information about travel purposes, and provided information on taking action to ensure that current feasibility studies underway can continue. The Coalition is also seeking input from anyone in the community who is interested in train service: Click here to take the brief 5-question train travel survey
   The West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition was formed by regional community and business leaders in 1999 to provide "leadership and coordination to develop passenger rail service through West Central Wisconsin as part of a regional strategy to ensure a balanced transportation system for long term sustainable economic growth."
Longtime Chamber advocacy goal
   A longtime goal of the Chamber in concert with the Coalition has been the establishment of rail passenger service to West Central Wisconsin, including likely stops in Eau Claire, Menomonie, Baldwin, and Hudson, to link the region with the Twin Cities, Milwaukee, and Chicago. It has also been part of the issues agenda for the annual Chippewa Valley Rally legislative day.
  Two current studies are underway as part of a federal funding pipeline, enacted in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that would take service planning to the next step. They envision an Eau Claire-Twin Cities frequent regional service, as well as through service Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison-Eau Claire-Twin Cities.
   It will be important for the 2025-27 Wisconsin biennial budget to fund the non-federal 10% match to complete the key feasibility studies, known as Service Development Plans, to move forward the regional studies. There are also studies under way that would investigate service to Appleton, Fond du lac, Green Bay, Madison, Oshkosh, and other communities.
   Additionally, the Eau Claire-Twin Cities regional corridor proposed by the local Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission includes several innovations that could provide additional cost-effectiveness, reliability, and local economic benefits. They include a competitive process for selecting a train operator; negotiated access agreement with the host railroad, Union Pacific; and transportation-oriented development around the station sites.
State budget support needed
   Governor Evers proposed funding the state's passenger rail program in the next biennium at about $12 million in 2025-26 and $17 million in 2026-27, which likely could include continuing the feasibility studies underway, current support for the Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha trains and the Chicago-Milwaukee-Tomah-La Crosse-Twin Cities Borealis train started last year, and capital projects related to current services and enhancements. The total annual state transportation budget is currently in the range of $3.5 billion. As an example of funding needed for continuation of the feasibility studies, non-federal match to continue the Eau Claire-Twin Cities regional corridor will be in the range of $390,000.
   The budget is now in the hands of the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee (JFC), which is drafting the legislature's version of the budget.
Chamber sends letter to JFC, Chamber members encouraged to support
   During the past two weeks, the Chamber has sent letters to the JFC: One detailing its key issues from the Chippewa Valley Rally (see next story below) and one specifically detailing the needs for passenger rail.
   Two ways in which Chamber investors can weigh in to encourage the state to continue progress are:
   1. Contact your own State Representative and State Senator: Click here for contact information (enter your voting address). Simply email or call and encourage them to ask that passenger rail be included in the state budget.
   2. Add your company or organization to the list of businesses in the state who support the consideration of expansion of passenger rail to more cities. Click here to see the statement and who has already signed on (Business Coalition for Passenger Rail).

More information:
Train travel input survey (West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition)
Chamber passenger rail letter (Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce)
Business sign-on statement (Business Coalition for Passenger Rail)
Contact information for your state legislators (Wisconsin Legislature, enter your voting address)
Officials discuss plans for passenger rail train (WEAU 13 News)
Popular train Borealis marks 1 year in service (KARE 11)

State Budget deliberations continue
Chamber sends letter to JFC asserting issues
from the Chippewa Valley Rally
   With a July 1 deadline in mind, the Wisconsin Legislature's Joint Finance Committee (JFC) is working on drafting its version of the 2025-27 state budget to present to the State Assembly and Senate. With the JFC controlled by majority Republicans but with the signature (with partial veto power) of Democratic Governor Tony Evers required to enact a budget, there continues to be negotiations and political maneuvering as the process moves forward.  
   On May 8, the JFC voted to eliminate 600 items from the budget proposed by Governor Tony Evers. Such a move has become a regular practice as the Republican-controlled body starts over on the budget after receiving the Democratic Governor's proposal, although the Legislature did the same in the final budget under Republican Governor Scott Walker.
   On May 12, the Chamber provided a letter to the 16 members of the JFC, with copies to our local delegation, highlighting its position on issues as articulated in the recent Chippewa Valley Rally held on April 22.
   In addition to the passenger rail issue described above, the Chamber noted several specific budget requests, as well as its qualitative statements on issue outcomes that will need to be address in the budget and/or legislation. Some of these included tourism, emergency healthcare funding, PFA, education, childcare, housing, tax reform, homelessness, and energy.
More information:
Chamber issues letter to JFC (Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce)
2025 Chippewa Valley Rally Issues Book (Chippewa Valley Chamber Alliance)
Local legislators, leaders talk about the state of Wisconsin's biennial budget (Leader-Telegram $)
On day 1 of votes, Wisconsin Republicans cut over 600 items from Gov. Tony Evers’ budget (WPR)
Local Leaders Advocating for the Chippewa Valley (WEAU 13 News)